Method of assembling blocks and structure resulting therefrom



H. A. FABER Dec. 15, 1936.

METHOD OF ASSEMBLING BLOCKS AND STRUCTURE RESULTING THEREFROM Filed March 27, 1936 AZZL r R e b a F m v NA L I A r R I Y H .Y e B H Patented Dec. 15, 19336 METHOD OF ASSEMBLING BLOCKS AND STRUCTURE RESULTING THEREFROM Herbert Alfred Faber, Cincinnati, Ohio Application March 2'7, 1936, Serial No. 71,151

4 Claims. (Cl. 72-39) This invention relates to a method of assemfollowing detailed description, and the accombling building blocks, and to the resulting panying drawing, in which structure. Fig. 1 is front perspective view of a prelimi- More particularly the present invention renary step of coordinating building blocks pur- 5 lates to a method of aligning pre-shaped buildsuant to a preferred procedure of the present 5 ing blocks, and positioning one building block method. upon a previously placed block, or other suitable Fig. 2 is an enlarged vertical section taken supporting structure, to permit a shifting of the through the slab portions, perpendicular to the later placed, i. e., upper building block in effect wall faces thereof, of component building blocks ing final alignment of component building blocks of a structure in final alignment preparatory to 10 in the resulting structure. grouting or equivalent.

Embodiments of the present method utilize Fig. 3 is a vertical section, on a reduced scale, means arranged upon and between any precorresponding to that of Fig. 2, and showing the viously positioned building block, or suitable supaligning means grouted into final position.

porting structure, and the thereon superimposed Fig. 4 is a vertical section, on a reduced scale, 15 building block to be aligned, to afford free and corresponding to Fig. 2. This view illustrates easy movement of the subsequently placed buildthe application of my invention to a structure ing block relative to permanently positioned built up of blocks of thick rectangular-slab constructure in effecting final alignment therewith, figuration, as compared with building blocks such means, preferably, becoming an integral having stud elements extending therefrom. 20 part of th resulting tru tu Fig. 5 is a detail perspective view of another A preferred procedure in th present i embodiment of my invention, the indicated parts tion includes the positioning of bearing elements, being S o in eXplOded relation. for the Sake Of desirably ball bearings of metal, glass, or other clarity.

suitable material, between receiving means, pref- 6 is a Vertical sectional view of the em- 25 erably coordinating grooves provided in respecbodlment Illustrated in i etive horizontally contiguous surfaces of adjacent Referring to the aw Illustrating Certain building blocks, the receiving means having been preferred S O y invention, and referring pre-dimensioned and pre-arranged for coordinain the first instance p u y to Figs. 1, tion with each other and the bearing elements, and 3, 1 ustrates a p el y st p n 30 or equivalent, in securing and retaining prelimi- Procedure, lll indicating a D p ui nary alignment of the building blocks. The block permanently Positioned in a; partially building block to be aligned with permanently erected structure. Such block i0 is preferably positioned structure is thus mounted for limited cast: as from concrete, Include a Slab y movement in two dimensions. Either simultaportlon H studs l2, integral herewith neously with the placing of bearing means, or and extenlllng m a face of same, upon desired relative adjustments between persuch bulldlng Plock l0 cludes 0n the upper manent structure and the block to be positioned at of lts p Porlilon ans for being made insert and Spacer blocks of Wood receiving suitable bearing means, the receiving 40 metal, or other suitable material, pre-dimensioned means bemg advantageously a Ql'O VE, and de- 40 to cooperate with the bearing elements in efiectslrably v'groove at extendmg lengthwlse, ing and/or retaining final alignment of the buildfi f g fg 50, along the top ing blocks, are placed at suitable locations be- 1;? a 51 f, 8%? spaced from th tween the building blocks relative to the bearing eng e 33 ereo e bearlng means elements. 232 322 25 3 tSuch ov o q wel nt, are

Subsequent to final alignment, the clearance which s g gg 22:? gg g g gg I tinent qualifications, such ball bearings I4 fitthus glolltlng and Permanlzmg the bearmg ting into the V-groove I3 and having such di- 5 ments and insert-blocks relative to one another ameter as afiord a t m Seating f each ball and the associated building b ock into p in such V-groove and to provide a major portion nent association with the wall structure. of each ball to extend out of such groove and Further features and objects of the present inabove the upper surface Ha, of such block I 0,

vention will be more fully understood from the for purposes explained more fully hereinafter. 55

Indicated at I 5, see Fig. 1, is a building block pre-shaped to conform to the configuration of the stated block ill, the block l5 including similarly, a slab body portion l6 and the stud elements [7, the block [5 having on its lower surface I60, receiving and seating means adapted for coordination with the receiving and seating means of block it] and the therein inserted bearing elements Hi. In the embodiment illustrated in Fig. 1, see also Fig. 2, such receiving means of block l5 takes the form of a V-groove 18, disposed on the lower face Mia of its slab portion IS, in register with the cooperating V-groove 13 of the upper surface Ila of the lower block Ill.

The block i5 is illustrated in Fig. 1 at a stage prior to that of preliminary alignment with permanent structure, inclusive of the block Ill. The preliminary alignment is attained by super-imposing the block l5 upon the block I!) with the V-grooves of respective blocks in mutual coordination, the groove I 8 being vertically aligned with the groove l3 and with the ball bearings l4 placed in the groove l3, as shown generally at I 9, Fig. 2. The ball bearings l4 and coordinated grooves l3, l8, thus afford any required lateral sliding movement, and/or limited vertical rocking movement to attain the desired block-to-block alignment.

Either simultaneously with the placement of the block l5 upon the ball bearings M, or subsequent to such placement and to any aligning movement of the block l5 relative to permanently positioned structure, insert blocks 20 are placed at suitable locations relative to the bearings l4, and advantageously between opposing surfaces I211 and Ila of the studs l2 and I1 respectively,

of the blocks H], l5, and desirably at the extremities thereof, as illustrated in Fig. 2. The insert blocks 20 are pre-dimensioned to effect the desired final alignment both horizontally and vertically between the blocks.

Usually, the insert blocks 20 are pre-dimensioned according to the diameters of the ball bearings M to effect a clearance, see 2!, Fig. 2, between the thus aligned building blocks, which clearance is rectangular in outline, and thus affords true vertical and horizontal alignment of the respective correlated building blocks and attendantly of the structure as an entirety.

Subsequent to the final positioning and aligning of such building block 15 upon such building block H], the clearances l9, 2| may be filled with grouting material 22, or the like, see Fig. 3, and. the ball bearings [4 together with the insert blocks Zll grouted into permanent association with the resulting structure.

In the application of my invention to building blocks of thick slab configuration, such as those indicated in vertical section in Fig. 4, a superimposed building block, such as the illustrated block 23, is aligned with respect to a lower building block, such as the block 24, in a manner similar to that described in relation to the stud-provided building blocks l0, l5, shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3. The coordinating grooves 25, 26, of building blocks 23, 25, respectively in such embodiment are desirably located proximate one edge of their respective corresponding faces, and the spacer and retaining blocks 21, are desirably located proximate the edges of the opposite faces of the building blocks. Such insert and retaining blocks 21 may be of wedge formation, as shown.

Fig. 5 shows another type of embodiment of my invention, wherein the coordinating receiving means for each bearing, is in the form of a recess of conical or other general V contour and predetermined dimensions, in lieu of a groove. Specifically, Fig. 5 illustrates a lowerly disposed block ll provided at its upper face with the desired plurality of such recesses i3, each receiving and rotatably retaining a bearing ball l4, and upward disposed block l 6 provided at its lower face with correlatedly disposed recesses l8, each receiving and rotatably retaining a bearing ball I l.

Whereas I have described my invention by reference to specific forms thereof, it will be understood that many changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.

I claim:

1. An improved building structure of aligned component building blocks, comprising a plurality of mutually superposed building blocks, ball bearing means interposed between adjacent building blocks to afford desired aligning of correlated building blocks,- and means for retaining said ball bearing means and correlated aligned building blocks in position, said retaining means including elements inserted in the clearance between correlated adjacent building blocks.

2. An improved building structure of aligned component building blocks, comprising a plurality of mutually superposed building blocks, ball bearing means interposed between adjacent building blocks to afford desired aligning of correlated buildings blocks, and means including correlated grooves for retaining said ball bearing means and correlated aligned building blocks in position, said retaining means including elements inserted in the clearance between correlated adjacent building blocks.

3. A method of constructing a building from preshaped building blocks, each provided with,

means for receiving bearing elements, the said receiving means of respective blocks being located in pre-determined coordinating relation to the receiving means of the other component blocks or of similar receiving means provided in permanently positioned component structure; which comprises preparing suitable foundation structure having receiving means configurated and located suitably for coordination with the receiving means of the preshaped building blocks; placing bearing elements in the receiving means of said foundation structure; positioning, tentatively, preshaped building blocks on said foundation structure with their respective receiving means coordinating with the receiving means of the said foundation structure and with the said bearing elements retained thereby; adjusting the alignment of the tentatively positioned building blocks relative to one another and to the said foundation structure to alford final alignment for the entire structure; permanently tying together the thus aligned structure to prohibit relative movement of the component elements of the structure; and adding preshaped building blocks in like manner, sequentially, to the said aligned and permanently tied structure to complete the said building construction.

4. A method of constructing a building from preshaped building blocks, each provided with means for receiving bearing elements, the said receiving means of respective blocks being located in pre-deterrnined coordinating relation to the receiving means of the other component blocks or of similar receiving means provided in permanently positioned component structure, and comprising recesses formed in appropriate surfaces of the building blocks; which comprises preparing suitable foundation structure having receiving means configurated and located suitably for coordination with the receiving means of the preshaped building blocks; placing bearing elements in the receiving means of said foundation structure; positioning, tentatively, preshaped building blocks on said foundation structure With their respective receiving means coordinating With the receiving means of the said foundation structure and with the said bearing elements retained thereby; adjusting the alignment of the tentatively positioned building blocks relative to one another and to the said foundation structure said aligned and permanently tied structure to 10 complete the said building construction.

HERBERT ALFRED FABER. 

